GRFA calls for strong global commitment to biofuels at COP22

By Global Renewable Fuels Alliance | November 16, 2016

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On Nov. 16, Bliss Baker, the president of the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance, called on negotiators participating in high-level events now underway at COP22 to seize the opportunities presented by biofuels to support the global transition to a low-carbon transport sector. Baker noted that biofuels like ethanol have been proven to reduce GHG emissions from 40 percent to 90 percent in comparison to fossil fuels.

The high level negotiations follow the release of a United Nations Environment Programme report that outlined how current global emission reduction commitments would fall far short of international temperature targets and stated that global emissions must be cut by a quarter by 2030.

“Negotiators are confronting the enormous challenge of identifying achievable policy options that will significantly, and affordably, reduce GHG emissions.” Baker said. “Biofuels represent the only commercially viable technology available to significantly offset emissions in the global transport sector. In 2014 alone global ethanol production and use reduced GHG emissions by 169 million tons CO2 equivalent.” he added.

The global transport sector accounts for about half of the world’s oil consumption and represents 25-30 percent of global emissions, while having the lowest renewable energy share of any sector. In contrast, recent studies have outlined the massive potential in the coming decades for increased biofuels use and have articulated the need for clear support from policy-makers to achieve it.

“In order to achieve international targets, the negotiations at COP22 must result in decisive support for biofuels production and technology development.” Baker said. “To fully achieve the huge potential of biofuels to cut global transport emissions, the historic political commitments of the past year have to result in concrete, and ambitious action” he concluded.